Continuous measurements of the energy budget components at a pine forest and at a grassland site

Abstract

Micrometeorological measurement stations have been installed over different characteristic surface types in the vicinity of the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg (MOL) of the Deutscher Wetterdienst within the frame of the LITFASS project (Lindenberg Inhomogeneous Terrain - Fluxes between the Atmosphere and the Surface - A long-term Study) in order to investigate land surface - atmosphere interaction processes in a heterogeneous landscape. Measurements over forest have been performed since April 2000 at a 30 m meteorological mast installed within a 14 m high pine forest. Results from the measurements at this forest site are compared with data collected at the boundary layer field site Falkenberg of the MOL (grassland). Measurements show over longer time periods (in particular during summer) significantly higher values of the sensible heat flux over the forest when compared to the grassland, while the evapotranspiration is of comparable magnitude or even less. This is attributed both to the vegetation and soil characteristics.